


Which principles do you hold sacrosanct?

by JohnHHolliday (Methleigh)



Category: 19th Century US RPF
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-21
Updated: 2012-05-21
Packaged: 2017-11-05 18:23:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/409530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Methleigh/pseuds/JohnHHolliday





	Which principles do you hold sacrosanct?

Any principles held are sacrosanct. That is what principles are. And even if they are not something with which one can agree, they should be respected. One may fight against them. In a perfect world everyone would hold principles and conflict would arise only when they were incompatible with each other. I can respect someone who would fight for principles.

Unfortunately, people usually act without an overarching plan out of instinct or manipulation, because immediate desire calls them. They express what they believe are principles but which are borrowed from the last person to whom they spoke, or the one who spoke the loudest, used the most effective techniques of empty promise and flattery. Who is to know the nature of such people? They are unaware, not wholly real.

If anyone holds sure principles he has learned, lived and developed, and if he is willing to stand by them and fight for them when it is inconvenient, when his latest companion disagrees, when holding them would mean sacrifice, why then his principles should be respected.

And if with all his strength of will and learning, his principles are such that they still defy your own, why then he is a worthy opponent. Should his principles affect valued circumstances or people about you - should they threaten your principles, why then you must fight. And it is honourable - a true fight instead of one waged against fools where one has an upper hand of skill and vision.

Or maybe, if he believes so strongly, you will learn from him, learn of yourself and what you believe. If someone has principles, when you deal with him you deal with truth.


End file.
